Lab 11.

Speed Control of
a D.C. motor

Motor Characterization
Motor Speed Control Project
1. Generate PWM waveform
2. Amplify the waveform to drive the motor
3. Measure motor speed
4. Estimate motor parameters from measured data
5. Regulate speed with a controller

12v DC
Tachometer
Motor

9v Speed
Power Amplifier Measurement
Supply Labs 11/12
Computer
System
Goals of this lab

 Experimentally determine the control system

model of the motor/hardware setup
 Measure response to a step input
(determine time constant, gain, etc.)

 This model will be used in the design of a

speed controller
Motor control system modeled as a
feedback system
(Frequency domain model)
PWM signal
Software

User
entry
(system
input)
Tachometer + comparator/counter (period)
or envelope detector (amplitude)
Simplified system model
Duty cycle of Determine
Switch PWM signal experimentally
setting
Motor and
Control Electronics
Setpoint Error Action
R(s) E(S) Controller X(S) The Plant
+
C(S) G(S)
_

Measured Signal
Y(S)

Computer Software
period
or amplitude
What goes into the plant G(s)?

 Amplifier dynamics
 Electrical dynamics (motor winding has
inductance and resistance)
 Mechanical dynamics (motor rotor has inertia
and experiences friction)
 Sensor dynamics (filter has capacitance and
resistance)

OVERALL: A 3rd order model (or higher)

An Empirical Modeling Approach

 Experimentally determine “plant” model, G(s)

1. Apply a “step input” to the Plant
 step change in the duty cycle of the PWM signal
driving the motor
2. Measure the motor system “response” to this
step input
 measure speed change over time
3. Derive parameters of G(s) from the measured
response
Response y(t) of a 1st-order
system to a step input x(t)
y (t )
Motor
speed
(ADC
x (t )
reading)

Plant input = change in PWM duty cycle t

(at t = 0)
First-order system model
System equation: x(t) = system input
dy y(t) = system output
Kx (t ) = τ + y (t ) K = gain
dt τ = time constant
Solution if step input applied at t=0 (step response):
−t / τ
∆y (t ) = K∆x (t )(1 − e ) ∆x = input change
at time t=0
Laplace transform (plant transfer function):
Y (s ) K
G( s ) = =
X (s ) τs + 1
Experimentally determining G(s) for
the first-order system
 After the transient period (t large), study output y:
∆y = K∆x Experimentally measure
∆y change in y (after large t)
K= to compute gain, K.
∆x
 At t=τ, step response is:
−τ / τ
Experimentally measure
y (τ ) = K∆x(1 − e ) time at which y(t) = 63.2%
y (τ ) = K∆x(0.632) of final value to determine
time constant, τ.
Finding gain K

∆y
∆y
K=
∆x ∆x

large t t
Finding time constant τ

∆y
0.632∆y
∆x

t=0
τ
t
settling time ≈ 4τ or 5τ
Verify model in MATLAB/Simulink

(Controller to be added to this to compute the controller parameters.)

First-order response with delay

y (t ) y (t − ∆t )

∆x

∆t t
First-order system with delay

K − ∆ts
G( s ) = e
τs + 1

− ∆ts
e represents time delay ∆t
Second-order step response

underdamped

critically damped

overdamped
(real, unequal poles)
Underdamped 2nd-order model

Y (s ) ωn2
G( s ) = =K 2
X (s ) s + 2ζω n s + ωn
2

gain
damping
factor undamped natural
frequency
2nd-order model character (a)
 Underdamped ( 0 < ζ < 1 ) model has
complex conjugate poles:

s1,2 = −ζω n ± j ωn 1 − ζ 2
 
Re Im

 time constant: inverse of the |Re| part

1
τ=
ζω n
Underdamped step response
damped oscillation
2π
frequency ωd =
period
overshoot

∆y ∆y
K=
∆x
∆x

settling time ≈ 4τ t
2nd-order model character (b)
 oscillation frequency (rad/s): Im part

ω d = ω n 1− ζ 2
 overshoot (% of final value)
 Re 
− π
 Im 
% overshoot = e ×100

 a function only of damping factor

Other 2nd-order forms
 Critically damped model has 2 equal poles

G (s ) =
K
(τs + 1)2

 Overdamped model has unequal poles

G (s ) =
K
(τ 1s + 1)(τ 2s + 1)
Lab Procedure
 Re-verify hardware/software from previous labs
 Modify software to measure the period (or voltage) of
the tachometer signal following a step input
 “Step input” = change in selected speed
 Save values in an array that can be transferred to the host
PC after the motor is stopped
 Plot measured speed vs. time
 Choose a model (1st-order? 2nd-order?)
 Determine model parameters and write the transfer
function G(s)
 Compare step response of G(s) to the experimental
response (suggested tool: MATLAB/Simulink)